Brianna Wu: Harassment in gaming

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Brianna Wu is a video game developer and gaming aficionado who credits Princess Peach from “Super Mario Brothers Two” for sparking her passion for games. She says playing the female character made her realize equality was necessary in the gaming world.

Brianna Wu: Harassment in gaming

Brianna has developed and released several hit video games, founded her own company and hosts a weekly gaming podcast called “Isometric” podcast on Relay FM.

One of a very small percentage of female video game developers, Brianna has become an outspoken advocate for women in the industry and the unwitting victim of bullying, harassment and death threats by those involved with Gamer Gate — a misogynistic online campaign aimed at intimidating and silencing women in gaming.

“I, myself, have now had 86 death threats sent to me in the last eight months for a simple message like: ‘Women should be represented and I think we should be able to work in this field too’.” Brianna says.

Refusing to back down, she has appealed to law enforcement and government officials to strengthen oversight and punish perpetrators of online violence.

Brianna sits down with Mike Walter in our New York studio to discuss her experience and prove that she won’t be silenced.